# Wisely Series

The Wisely Series is a series of Chinese-language adventure-science fiction novels written by the Hong Kong novelist Ni Kuang. The protagonist of the series is Wisely (sometimes also spelt "Wesley"). In total, there are 161 stories about Wisely recorded in 156 novels. Of these, only 150 stories in 145 novels are written by Ni Kuang; the remaining ones are written by other writers with Ni Kuang's permission. Some of these stories have been adapted into media, such as the films The Legend of Wisely (1987), The Cat (1992) and The Wesley's Mysterious File (2002), and the television series The New Adventures of Wisely (1998) and The 'W' Files (2004).

## Publishing history

Ni Kuang wrote 150 Wisely stories in the form of 145 novels, most of which have a serial number to reflect the chronological order of their year of publication. There are 11 other Wisely stories written by other writers with Ni Kuang's permission. There are a total of 161 Wisely stories in 156 novels. The first 94 stories (excluding the prequel Young Wisely with serial number 0), were first published in serial form in the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao from 1963–92 (with a discontinuation from 1973–78). The stories written from 1992–2004 were published in the form of printed books.
According to Ni Kuang, when he decided to publish the Wisely Series as a collection in the 1970s, he discovered that Ming Pao did not retain all the copies of his previous works. Luckily for him, he encountered a reader, Wen Naijian (溫乃堅), who collected all the copies of his stories published in Ming Pao. He was thus able to have his works republished and released in a multi-volume collection. He expressed his gratitude to Wen in the preface, "These books would not have been published without Mr Wen Naijian's help."
In Hong Kong, books 1–80 were published by Ming Chuang Publishing Company (明窗出版社; under Media Chinese International) while books 81–131 were published by Qin+Yuan Publishing Company (勤+緣出版社). In Taiwan, the books before book 67 were initially published by Yuanjing Publishing Company (遠景出版社) and later by Storm & Stress Publishing Company (風雲時代出版社). The books after book 67 were published by Crown Publishing Company (皇冠出版社).
Ni Kuang announced his decision to stop writing the Wisely Series after book 131 was published. His friend, Taiwanese writer Yeh Lee-hwa, wrote the Wisely Memoirs (衛斯理回憶錄) as an epilogue to the series, and to explain Wisely's life and clarify ambiguities in the stories.
Wisely Series has been banned in Mainland China.

## Overview of the stories

The novels are narrated from the point of view of Wisely (sometimes also spelt "Wesley"), the protagonist in the series. They are set in a modern era (1960s–2000s) in a city that is evidently based on Hong Kong. According to Ni Kuang, the character's name was inspired by Wesley Village (衛斯理村) along Tai Hang Road near Jardine's Lookout in Hong Kong. The village was named after John Wesley (1703–91), an English cleric who founded the Methodist movement within Anglican Christianity.
Wisely was born in a wealthy family who run a trading company. Little is known about his parents; it is assumed that they died early. The head of the family is Wisely's grandfather. Wisely is the chairman of the company's board of directors. He lets his general manager run the company and spends his time travelling around the world and solving mysteries. He has several extraordinary adventures throughout his life, including encounters with aliens and supernatural beings.

## List of Wisely novels by Ni Kuang

| Serial number | Title | Published |
| 1 | Diamond Flower (鑽石花) | 11 March – 21 July 1963 |
| 2 | Underground Legends (地底奇人) | 22 July 1963 – 12 February 1964 |
| 3 | Wicked Fire (妖火) | 13 February – 4 August 1964 |
| 4 | Blue Blood Being (藍血人) | 5 August 1964 – 19 February 1965 |
| 5 | Transparentizing Light (透明光) | 20 February – 22 July 1965 |
| 6 | Furnace inside the Earth (地心洪爐) | 23 July – 19 October 1965 |
| 7 | Bee Cloud (蜂雲) | 20 October 1965 – 6 February 1966 |
| 8 | Mystic Jade (奇玉) | 7 February – 22 March 1966 |
| 9 | Atomic Space (原子空間) | 23 March – 11 July 1966 |
| 10 | Golden Globe from Beyond (天外金球) | 12 July – 2 December 1966 |
| 11 | Detachable Man (支離人) | 3 December 1966 – 16 March 1967 |
| 12 | Immortality Drug (不死藥) | 17 March – 4 June 1967 |
| 13 | Crimson Moon (紅月亮) | 1 August – 15 November 1967 |
| 14 | Head Transplant (換頭記) | 16 November 1967 – 15 February 1968 |
| 15 | Bewitched, Bewildered (蠱惑) | 16 February – 7 April 1968 |
| 16 | Uncanny Gate (奇門) | 30 June – 21 September 1968 |
| 17 | Zombified (屍變) | 22 September – 24 November 1968 |
| 18 | Synthesis (合成) | 25 November 1968 – 21 January 1969 |
| 19 | Pen Pal (筆友) | 22 January – 10 March 1969 |
| 20 | Deity in the Jungle (叢林之神) | 11 March – 29 April 1969 |
| 21 | Once again (再來一次) | 30 April – 20 June 1969 |
| 22 | The End (盡頭) | 21 June – 16 August 1969 |
| 23 | In the lake (湖水) | 17 August – 15 September 1969 |
| 24 | Vanishing (消失) | 16 September – 15 October 1969 |
| 25 | The Shadow (影子) | 16 October – 4 December 1969 |
| 26 | The Extra One (多了一個) | 5 December 1969 – 14 January 1970 |
| 27 | Wonderland (仙境) | 15 January – 16 March 1970 |
| 28 | A Transmuting Fox (狐變) | 17 March – 10 May 1970 |
| 29 | Archaic Sound (古聲) | 11 May – 14 June 1970 |
| 30 | Virtual Image (虛像) | 15 June – 9 August 1970 |
| 31 | The Visitor (訪客) | 10 August – 18 September 1970 |
| 32 | Feng Shui (風水) | 19 September – 29 October 1970 |
| 33 | The Ring (環) | 30 October – 27 December 1970 |
| 34 | Treasure Bowl (聚寶盆) | 27 December 1970 – 30 January 1971 |
| 35 | Rain Flower Stone (雨花台石) | 4 February – 23 March 1971 |
| 36 | Stone Forest (石林, new name: 魔磁) | 24 March – 9 June 1971 |
| 37 | Creation (創造) | 10 June – 27 July 1971 |
| 38 | Jap (鬼子) | 28 July – 10 September 1971 |
| 39 | Aged Cat (老貓) | 11 September – 1 December 1971 |
| 40 | Seashell (貝殼) | 2 December 1971 – 7 February 1972 |
| 41 | The Map (地圖) | 8 February – 4 May 1972 |
| 42 | Pattern (規律) | 5 May – 23 June 1972 |
| 43 | Shipwreck (沉船) | 24 June – 21 September 1972 |
| 44 | The Mansion (大廈) | 22 September 1972 – 1 January 1973 |
| 45 | New Year (新年) | 2 January – 22 February 1973 |
| 46 | Hair (頭髮) | 1 March – 25 June 1978 |
| 47 | The Eyes (眼睛) | 26 June – 25 September 1978 |
| 48 | Hide and Seek (迷藏) | 26 September – 25 December 1978 |
| 49 | Enigmatic Book (天書) | 26 December 1978 – 10 April 1979 |
| 50 | The Charcoal (木炭) | 11 April – 8 August 1979 |
| 51 | Toys (玩具) | 9 August – 27 November 1979 |
| 52 | Interlocking (連鎖) | 13 February 1979 – 30 May 1980 |
| 53 | Searching a Dream (尋夢) | 31 May – 13 October 1980 |
| 54 | Human of the Second Kind (第二種人) | 14 October 1980 – 11 March 1981 |
| 55 | The Backup (後備) | 12 March – 22 June 1981 |
| 56 | Tomb Raiding (盜墓) | 23 June – 26 November 1981 |
| 57 | Soul Seeking (搜靈) | 27 November 1981 – 17 April 1982 |
| 58 | Blurred Spot (茫點) | 18 April – 20 September 1982 |
| 59 | Immortals (神仙) | 21 September 1982 – 30 January 1983 |
| 60 | Tracking the Dragon (追龍) | 31 January – 23 May 1983 |
| 61 | Tunnel to the Heaven (洞天) | 24 May – 14 September 1983 |
| 62 | Terracotta Warrior Alive (活俑) | 15 September 1983 – 7 January 1984 |
| 63 | Rhino Illumination (犀照) | 8 January – 9 May 1984 |
| 64 | Destiny (命運) | 10 May – 10 July 1984 |
| 65 | 17 Years (十七年) | 11 July – 13 August 1984 |
| 66 | A Peculiar Gem (異寶) | 14 August – 17 November 1984 |
| 67 | Extreme Penalty (極刑) | 18 November 1984 – 4 March 1985 |
| 68 | Home elestricus (電王) | 5 March – 24 June 1985 |
| 69 | The Game (遊戲) | 25 June – 3 October 1985 |
| 70 | The Key to the Bardo (生死鎖) | 4 October 1985 – 15 January 1986 |
| 71 | Story of Gold (黃金故事) | 16 January – 2 May 1986 |
| 72 | The Ruin (廢墟) | 3 May – 13 August 1986 |
| Serial number | Title | Published |
| 73 | The Cipher (密碼) | 14 August – 24 November 1986 |
| 74 | Bloodline (血統) | 25 November 1986 – 16 March 1987 |
| 75 | Mystifying Tracks (謎蹤) | 17 March – 4 July 1987 |
| 76 | The Plague Demon (瘟神) | 5 July – 19 October 1987 |
| 77 | Evocation (招魂) | 20 October 1987 – 30 January 1988 |
| 78 | Betrayal (背叛) | 31 January – 15 May 1988 |
| 79 | A Hybrid Ghost (鬼混) | 16 May – 27 August 1988 |
| 80 | Retribution (報應) | 28 August – 11 December 1988 |
| 81 | Err (錯手) | 12 December 1988 – 6 April 1989 |
| 82 | The Truth (真相) | 7 April – 22 July 1989 |
| 83 | Death Oath (毒誓) | 23 July – 6 November 1989 |
| 84 | Bet on It (拼命) | 7 November 1989 – 23 February 1990 |
| 85 | Monsters (怪物) | 24 February – 8 June 1990 |
| 86 | Proding (探險) | 9 June – 23 September 1990 |
| 87 | Probing Deeper (繼續探險) | 24 September 1990 – 11 January 1991 |
| 88 | Pitfall (圈套) | 12 January – 28 April 1991 |
| 89 | Females in Flame (烈火女) | 29 April – 9 August 1991 |
| 90 | The Great Secret (大秘密) | 10 August – 22 November 1991 |
| 91 | Canker (禍根) | 23 November 1991 – 29 January 1992 |
| 92 | From the Netherworld (從陰間來) | 25 July 1991 |
| 93 | To the Netherworld (到陰間去) | 25 July 1991 |
| 94 | Young Wesley Chronicles (少年衛斯理) | 2 August 1991 |
| 95 | Errands and Errancy (陰差陽錯) | 17 December 1991 |
| 96 | Lingering Soul (陰魂不散) | 3 March 1992 |
| 97 | Make a wish (許願) | 23 May 1992 |
| 98 | Resurrection (還陽) | 16 August 1992 |
| 99 | Live Atmosphere (運氣) | 26 October 1992 |
| 100 | Open Core Surgery (開心) | 6 February 1993 |
| 101 | Reincarnation Signs (轉世暗號) | 11 April 1993 |
| 102 | The Future (將來) | 9 July 1993 |
| 103 | The Change (改變) | 12 September 1993 |
| 104 | Reincarnation Signs II (暗號之二) | Late 1993 |
| 105 | A Fatal Deed (闖禍) | 11 January 1994 |
| 106 | Doomed (在數難逃) | 27 February 1994 |
| 107 | Extrication (解脫) | 16 April 1994 |
| 108 | Inheritance (遺傳) | 16 May 1994 |
| 109 | The Explosion (爆炸) | 30 September 1994 |
| 110 | Palace under the Sea (水晶宮) | 20 December 1994 |
| 111 | Past Life (前世) | 16 February 1995 |
| 112 | The New Weapon (新武器) | 11 April 1995 |
| 113 | Virus (病毒) | 26 May 1995 |
| 114 | Do the Accounts (算帳) | 9 August 1995 |
| 115 | The True Form (原形) | 2 November 1995 |
| 116 | Way Out (活路) | 20 January 1996 |
| 117 | Two-Way (雙程) | 2 March 1996 |
| 118 | Primeval Chaos (洪荒) | 10 May 1996 |
| 119 | Life Quota Wanted (買命) | 4 July 1996 |
| 120 | Life Quota for Sale (賣命) | 28 October 1996 |
| 121 | The Trial (考驗) | 30 January 1997 |
| 122 | A Tale (傳說) | 23 February 1997 |
| 123 | The Bid Gamble (豪賭) | 17 May 1997 |
| 124 | Concrete Cloudland (真實幻境) | 30 July 1997 |
| 125 | Humanward Metamorphosing (成精變人) | 2 November 1997 |
| 126 | Future Identity (未來身份) | Early 1998 |
| 127 | Body Snatching Monsters (移魂怪物) | 24 March 1998 |
| 128 | Face Combination (人面組合) | 20 August 1998 |
| 129 | Inherence Dies Hard (本性難移) | 6 December 1998 |
| 130 | Lightening of Justice (天打雷劈) | 23 March 1999 |
| 131 | Different Kind of Cloning (另類複製) | 15 May 1999 |
| 132 | The Cipher Demystified (解開密碼) | 16 August 1999 |
| 133 | Alternative Life (異種人生) | 31 October 1999 |
| 134 | An Immeasurable Fraud (偷天換日) | 8 April 2000 |
| 135 | In and Out of the Retreat (閉關開關) | 22 May 2000 |
| 136 | Taking Action for the Planet (行動救星) | 9 August 2000 |
| 137 | Knowledge Transplant (乾坤挪移) | 24 December 2000 |
| 138 | Mammon's Treasury (財神寶庫) | 16 March 2001 |
| 139 | Half and Half (一半一半) | 4 May 2001 |
| 140 | Replicant Surrogates (身外化身) | 6 October 2001 |
| 141 | Extraordinary Incident (非常遭遇) | 22 January 2002 |
| 142 | Somewhere (一個地方) | 20 May 2002 |
| 143 | A World in a Grain of Sand (須彌芥子) | 7 December 2002 |
| 144 | Hovering between Life and Death (死去活來) | 4 June 2003 |
| 145 | For Old Pals Only (只限老友) | Late February 2004 |

## Adaptations

The novel series has been adapted into comic series, radio dramas, films and television series since the 1980s.

### Comics

* 1984–86 version illustrated by Li Chi-tak (利志達) and published by Sichen Publishing Company (斯辰出版社).
* 1984–86 version illustrated by Li Chi-tak and published by Sanyingshe Publishing Company (三英社出版社).
* 1988 version illustrated by Li Chi-tak and Yeung Hau-wing (楊孝榮), and published by Morning Star Publishing Company (晨星出版社).
* 1995 version illustrated by Wee Tian Beng (黄展鸣) and published by China Times Publishing Company (時報文化出版社).
* 2004 version illustrated by Xu Jingchen (許景琛) and published by Yisi Wenhua Publishing Company (意思文化出版社).

### Radio dramas

* 1981–84 version broadcast on Hong Kong's RTHK. Chung Wai-ming voice-played Wisely.
* 1987–88 version broadcast on Hong Kong's CRHK. Chu Chi-chung voice-played Wisely.
* 2004 version broadcast on China's GZBN.
* 2005 version broadcast on Taiwan's Voice of Han.

### Films

* The Seventh Curse (原振俠與衛斯理), a 1986 Hong Kong film starring Chow Yun-fat.
* The Legend of Wisely (衛斯理傳奇), a 1987 Hong Kong film starring Sam Hui.
* A Tale from the East (漫畫奇俠), a 1990 Hong Kong fantasy film. Ni Kuang made a guest appearance as Wisely.
* Bury Me High (衛斯理之霸王卸甲), a 1991 Hong Kong film starring Chin Kar-lok.
* The Cat (衛斯理之老貓), a 1992 Hong Kong film starring Waise Lee.
* Young Wisely (少年衛斯理之天魔之子), a 1993 Hong Kong film starring David Wu.
* Young Wisely 2 (少年衛斯理II聖女轉生), a 1994 Hong Kong film starring David Wu.
* The Wesley's Mysterious File (衛斯理之藍血人), a 2002 Hong Kong film starring Andy Lau.

### Television series

* The Legend of Wisely (衛斯理傳奇), a 1983 Taiwanese television series produced by CTS, starring Yang Kuang-yu.
* The New Adventures of Wisely (卫斯理传奇), a 1998 Singaporean television series produced by TCS, starring Michael Tao.
* The 'W' Files (衛斯理), a 2003 Hong Kong television series produced by TVB, starring Gallen Lo.
* Wesley the Young Adventurer (少年王衛斯理/冒險王), a 2003 Chinese television series starring Nicky Wu.
* The Great Adventurer Wesley (冒險王衛斯理), a 2018 Chinese online/television series starring Shawn Yue.